Green Tech: Dr Robert Holcomb of Holcomb Energy Systems On How Their Technology Will Make An Important Positive Impact On The Environment

An Interview With Jilea Hemmings

The HES has been strategically designed to harness the natural energy in electrical steel and convert it into usable, clean electricity which requires no fuel, releases zero carbon emissions, and has no moving parts. By providing point of use electricity — generated right where it is being used — the HES can address some of the world’s most pressing issues such as pollution, climate change, global access to electricity, and endless wars for fossil fuels. The HES is scalable everywhere electricity is used — in homes, commercial buildings, transportation, consumer electronics, and on or off the grid.

In recent years, Big Tech has gotten a bad rep. But of course many tech companies are doing important work making monumental positive changes to society, health, and the environment. To highlight these, we started a new interview series about “Technology Making An Important Positive Social Impact”. We are interviewing leaders of tech companies who are creating or have created a tech product that is helping to make a positive change in people’s lives or the environment. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Robert Holcomb.

Dr. Robert Holcomb MD, Ph.D. is the Inventor, Co-Owner and Co-Founder of Holcomb Scientific Research (HSR) Ltd, an Irish-based research and development company. Dr. Holcomb invented and developed the HSR patent portfolio.

A prestigious academic and physician with publications in scientific and academic journals worldwide, the HES is the culmination of Dr. Holcomb’s life’s work and genius, combining a state-of-the-art scientific philosophy with a rigorous academic approach and a passion to change the world.

With decades of experience across the medical, scientific, and energy industries, Dr. Holcomb is a pioneer in modern invention with hundreds of patents across a range of industries, from breakthrough clean energy solutions to medical devices such as MagnaBloc.

Dr. Holcomb has also patented numerous environmentally friendly products, processes, and devices, including a CO2 converter that captures CO2 in power plant emissions and in the atmosphere and converts it back to its base elements, and a unique water purification system.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory and how you grew up?

I grew up on a farm in rural northwest Alabama. Although we didn’t have a lot of money, my childhood was truly idyllic. I loved working on the farm — I picked cotton, raised honeybees, and loved the land that I lived on. Initially, I wanted to be a commercial artist — Norman Rockwell was my hero! However, I ended up pursuing a career in medicine. Therefore, I haven’t had the most natural transition into my role today. Despite this, I’ve had a life-long fascination with electricity and its capabilities to change the world as we know it. I learned everything I know about electricity from my dad. He was an electrician and air conditioner and refrigeration specialist. I worked on electric motors and generators from a particularly young age.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I was incredibly lucky to have met my wife, Ellen, as our pathways crossed at a particularly auspicious time in our mutual careers. Since then, we have been committed to each other and the progression of the Holcomb Energy System (HES). Through this partnership, we have been able to develop clean energy generation technology with immense potential to address some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues. Despite the skepticism and hurdles that we have met along the way, Ellen and I are dedicated to realizing our dream’s potential and the impact it will have on the world.

Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Looking retrospectively at my life, I have immense gratitude to my father for his endless thirst for knowledge, and for introducing me to electricity and how it is generated. A master electrician, he was self-taught, with only an eighth-grade education. I remember my father was always reading about electricity. I have since inherited much of his library — it’s one of my proudest possessions. Winding and installing motors and generators as I grew up gave me an endless fascination with the intricacies of energy generation. Without this background provided by my father, I may not have had the insights and knowledge to realize the Holcomb Energy System.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

‘Faith, patience, persistence, and the unwillingness to be defeated.’ This motto has given me a sense of comfort and security throughout my life. To me, it means that no matter what hand I’m dealt, I can use my powers of reasoning to figure things out. I am going to remain persistent until I get it right. The journey may take me on various routes and detours until I reach the final goal, but I am going to stay on course until I achieve the goal that I originally set for myself.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

By nature, I’m quite stubborn. I’m also pragmatic and always lean on the power of reason to see me through the challenges that I may face. Looking at all the facts and not being ruled by emotion is fundamental to my work style. There were many times when the technical or business challenges presented by this project seemed insurmountable. I always try to analyze all the facts and have the patience to wait for the right opening in order to make the most effective decision. Patience and persistence are so important — the answer may not present itself right away, but you can always discover it if you have the patience to reason through the problem and wait for the solution to present itself.

Which particular problems are you aiming to solve with your technology?

The planet’s climate health is in dire need of immediate solutions — we’ve seen that in the latest report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). If current actions remain unchanged, global warming will exceed 1.5C during the 21st century. Our only hope to remain under this level is if carbon emissions peak no later than 2025 followed by a severe drop. It’s going to take a true revolution to provide universal access to clean electricity and restore our beautiful world. We need to streamline the adoption of zero carbon emissions technologies to dramatically alter our trajectory.

How do you think your technology can address this?

With the full deployment of the HES, we can slash the world’s carbon emissions and help address the climate crisis, energy crisis, and biodiversity damage our planet has withstood for centuries. The HES not only generates zero-emissions electricity, but also requires no fuel. Once widely implemented, the HES has the potential to drastically cut society’s carbon pollution and move towards a net-zero future while protecting the planet’s resources and preserving our fragile ecosystems.

Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?

As a graduate student at the University of Alabama, I was researching the pollution of the Warrior River basin and was astonished by the refuse that both the commercial industries and society were consistently dumping into the river. Years later, I found myself in Vermont — one of my favorite treats is Vermont maple syrup — and I was shocked to see how these majestic maple trees were dying due to the effects of acid rain. These experiences triggered something in me that made me want to be a part of the story for change. I knew these issues were connected and fixable, so I began to look for an opportunity as technology was advancing. That’s how I began my journey into developing the HES.

How do you think this might change the world?

The HES has been strategically designed to harness the natural energy in electrical steel and convert it into usable, clean electricity which requires no fuel, releases zero carbon emissions, and has no moving parts. By providing point of use electricity — generated right where it is being used — the HES can address some of the world’s most pressing issues such as pollution, climate change, global access to electricity, and endless wars for fossil fuels. The HES is scalable everywhere electricity is used — in homes, commercial buildings, transportation, consumer electronics, and on or off the grid.

Can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

The HES is often met with skepticism. When faced with such a revolutionary idea it is often easiest to assume it will not work rather than attempt to understand the mechanisms, especially as the familiar discourse around global warming posits little hope for the future. It’s crucial to prioritize education and aid people in understanding exactly how our technology works so there is no room for ambiguity over its efficacy. Throughout history, it has always been a risk to stand behind a trailblazer but we know it is necessary for technological and societal progress.

Based on your experience and success, can you please share “Five things you need to know to successfully create technology that can make a positive social impact”?

I believe that when attempting to build technology with a positive social impact it is imperative to keep the following questions in mind:

1. Are you passionate about the impact of this technology? Passion is what drives your process. It is the fuel for creating the best possible product with the most effective outcomes.

2. Who will be benefiting from your technology? Knowing whose lives will be changed by your technology and the details of how their lives will be positively impacted will provide strong motivation throughout the development process.

3. Who are the other parties working towards the same goal? Understanding the space in which you are entering and forming alliances is essential to sharing ideas and working together towards a common goal.

4. What are the roadblocks to your technology? Preempting obstacles and preparing accordingly ensures a smoother adoption.

5. What’s next? Looking ahead to post-development and adoption provides a sustainable solution as one has planned for the implementation, production, distribution, and maintenance of the technology.

If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?

The only way we can break the destructive patterns that have ruled our lives for centuries and ensure a livable planet is if we do it together. With finite natural resources and great inequities in opportunity and living conditions, we are at a critical time for change. The more people who choose to be involved in this fight, the better chance we stand at winning the battle for a sustainable future and a more just and equitable world. If you have ideas to tackle these issues, pursue them relentlessly. It’s important to remember that one genius idea might very well save the world!

Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why?

There are so many people to choose from, but I think I would pick Willie Nelson — his work as an artist has inspired me at some of the most strenuous times of my career. I often listened to his music while I wrote my patents and developed the HES. Along with Willie Nelson, the work of Eva Cassidy has also been an incredible inspiration to me.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

We welcome people to check out the HES, the work we are doing, and how it has the potential to impact the world by connecting with us on our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn channels. You can also visit our Medium blog which features pieces penned by the passionate team at Holcomb Energy Systems.

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational, and we wish you continued success in your important work.